Petal Dance
by Prar
Summary: The petals are like a symbol to them by now. A small collection of Banlaine drabbles. Enjoy! (31/10 - Halloween update!)
1. Leg Room

**It's 3 a.m. and I have a mighty need for writing pontless Banlaine fluff. It includes leg room, cuddles, and Ban being as soft and tame as a labrador.**

 **A 'Traveling Somewhere' AU.**

* * *

It was the fifth hour of the ride, and a lull had fallen over the bunch inside the bus. The sun has dipped past the horizon a long while ago, and with nothing particular to do, everyone was more than a little drowsy - with a handful having already tucked themselves in for the night. The vehicle was rocking gently as it sped along the highway, with bright orange street lights flickering as they passed them by… And as Elaine stared blankly at the twitching shadows on her book, she couldn't help but slowly close the tome and sigh. There, with the soft hum of the engine and the whistling of air as the only noise, she too was ready to take a small nap.

That's it, until she felt the delicate shift of the person next to her, and peeked one eye open to see Ban readjusting himself awkwardly on his seat.

Blinking in confusion as her boyfriend pushed his backpack as far under his seat as he could, and then start shifting around with an increasingly annoyed expression on his face, her eyebrows furrowed in confusion - and when his knee somehow ended up digging into her hip, pushing her to the corner of her seat, she reached out to splay her palm out on his lap and get his attention.

He jolted, looking at her like a kid with his hand in the cookie jar, and she had to suppress a smile as she mouthed out a _'what's wrong?'_ to him, the embarrassed blush that immediately bloomed on his face only serving to make her more curious.

However, before she could prod him a bit about it, he reluctantly mouthed out a _'leg room'_ and averted his eyes, giving a small kick to her own backpack as he tried to straighten out his leg.

At first, it made Elaine giggle. She had many problems regarding her height, but lack of space was definitely not one of them. It was only when he made that particular expression - the sulky one that showed how exactly betrayed he felt at her lack of understanding, that she took pity of him and moved off her seat, motioning for him to do what she said.

 _'Give me our bags,_ ' She whispered, taking the baggage to the other side of the aisle and putting them on the - thankfully vacant - seat by the window, _'and, now, stretch out._ '

 _'But where do_ you _go?'_ Ban whispered right back, eyebrows furrowing as she smiled and motioned for him to stretch out. _'Come on, I'm not letting you sit somewhere at the back~ We've got like thirteen more hours of the ride.'_

 _'Just sprawl out on the seats, idiot.'_ She huffed, and after a long pause, he finally grumbled out some profanity and let his amazingly long legs follow the bags, setting his feet across the aisle. Moving his pillow and blanket about to make himself comfy, he raised an eyebrow as she suddenly gestured at him to wait. _'Now what?~'_ he mumbled, looking at her as she grinned, _'seriously,_ what. _'_

 _'Now, I'm gonna take up some room as well._ ' Elaine explained quietly, and he paused, eyes widening as she moved closer and started crawling right on top of him. When she reached his chest, she settled down with a sigh, giggling as he wriggled underneath her and then looking up at his surprised expression. _'I thought you'd be expecting that. Why didn't you?_ '

 _'Dunno, maybe because I was more concerned with leg room?~_ ' He whispered, shifting her so he could cover them both with the blanket - and then wrap his arms around her bottom and nuzzle his cheek into her hair. _'It's not like I'm complaining, though~'_

 _'Good, because you're actually pretty comfy,'_ she hummed contently _, 'and really, really warm.'_

Laying on top of him also offered her an amazing amount of leg room, but she didn't tell him that - by the time he finished tucking her in, Elaine was already asleep.

* * *

 **C-D**


	2. Names

**Hi! I'm sorry for the long period of absence before, but the end of the year is crazy, my parents are driving me clinically mad, and my friends got me into some other fandoms. I'm also pretty unhappy about my writing quality right now (but that's probably just my crazy mix of anxiety and perfectionism talking x.x)**

 **Anyway, just as promised, a little writing for the extremely cute and talented** **crunchyshrimp(from Tumblr)** **! I hope you'll like it, even though I'm like,** _ **extremely**_ **late.** **Please bear with me!**

 **A quick modern AU.**

* * *

The cupcake was truly a work of art.

With a crispy, chocolate flavored outside, a sweet berry filling, and most importantly - a delicate sheen of icing with a tiny leafy print - it made Elaine's mouth _water_. Along with the cup of her favorite tea, the relaxing music playing in the background, and her giant, grinning husband snuggled against the small of her back, she felt like she was in heaven. This moment could honestly just last forever.

Still…

"Nope. No way."

Ban's grin faded, blinking at her from above. The sly fox obviously thought she'd give in just for a _cupcake_. Now he was stunned.

Elaine patted the ever-growing swell on her stomach and snorted, turning around slightly so she could look him in the eye.

"We are _not_ calling him Galahad."

This was a sort of game they've been playing recently, both to their chagrin and amusement. For reasons unknown, Ban had clung to the name Galahad since… _Well_ , since he'd learned it existed. And once he clung to it, he'd decided to make her cling to it _too_.

He'd bump into her during the day to coddle, or baby her, or give her something, or make her laugh with some silly antics - a million different infuriatingly sweet things, so she'd agree to his idea. And she - she just wouldn't, no matter what he did. She refused to give up so easily. She already had an idea for the name in her mind.

"But-" He got out, before nudging her shoulder and lightly tickling her in the process. "Jeez… Why not?"

"Well," Elaine looked at him pointedly. "It's because we're calling him _Lancelot_."

Ban looked at her blankly for a while, before his expression became slightly doubtful.

"Lancelot?"

"Yes." She reaffirmed.

"But Lancelot is so… _prissy_."

That almost made her do a double take.

" _What?"_ Trying to keep herself composed - and not gape in complete and utter shock, she instead quickly gathered up her wits. _"Lancelot is not-_ I think it's _nice_. Plus- I'm the one who's pregnant right now. My opinion's more important."

"I'm doing everything in the house though~" Her husband huffed, pouting a little bit.

"It's not the same, you know" She rolled her eyes, but her surprised expression softened up just a little bit. "Though, thank you for that."

"No problem at all~" He rumbled, looking pensive. "But… I _do_ have a say as a brave, strong, and faithful father, right? I'm pretty sure I do."

"Not really." Elaine defended, and he gave a long, suffering sigh. "Not with the first baby, at least. And I really want it to be Lancelot."

"And I really want it to be Galahad~"

Elaine sighed. "Well, he can't have two first names. That would be silly. So one of us has to give, and _I_ won't."

That made Ban grin dangerously. "And what makes you think that _I_ will?"

"Well, with how stubborn you are right now, nothing much." Elaine challenged. "But you'll give up eventually. Probably in the heat of the moment, with me screeching and panicking and crushing your hand on the way to the hospital, and- _ow_."

"Hmmm?~" Ban hummed, looking at her with a raised eyebrow. Well, at least until she wrapped her arms around her belly and cursed, her face scrunching up in pain. Then he shifted and jumped to her side, pressing a reassuring hand between her shoulder blades. "Hey, you alright?"

" _Ow ow owie ouch-"_ Elaine whimpered, trying to take in a few deep, calming breaths. " _Stop_. _Kicking_ _me_. Bad baby."

"Here, here~" Ban reassured her gently, smoothing out her hair and trailing his hands along her back and sides, "Does this help any?"

"Yeah, a little bit." She sighed, petting at her belly. "It's just, when we both get excited or mad, he starts kicking like crazy and-"

"I know, I know~" The man grinned, though his face softened up immediately after. Gathering Elaine up in his arms, he reached out for the cupcake and settled on the couch comfortably, giving her the plate. "So, my dear suffering wife, let's get you some treats."

For a long while, they just sat there in silence, listening to the music. As expected, the little present Ban made was a flavor-filled masterpiece, so even with her child shifting around distractingly, Elaine found herself enjoying the moment.

Eventually, the plate was emptied, so Ban put it away and readjusted her in his arms. Then he sighed.

"Fine, if you're suffering so much, have your way. " He rumbled at her grumpily. "Although, I'll need to get used to that name."

"Okay." She whispered back, blinking up at him. "Glad we've sorted that out."

"Yeah."

"Yeah."

She felt his hand play with the unruly locks of hair on top, but she was content with it. Actually, it seemed she'd just won their name-related argument, tugging at Ban's heartstrings. And really, Galahad wasn't even that bad, but she just wanted Lancelot more. It made more sense to her.

Elaine really should've just left it at that - snuggled up in Ban's arms, fed with amazing cake and still having gotten what she wanted. She _literally_ had the cake and ate it too.

But then, a question popped into her mind.

"Although, why did you even choose _that_ name? Galahad? And why get so hooked up on it?"

She didn't even want to say it out loud, but she felt nice and safe and it just… Got out by itself.

But then it caught Ban's attention. And Ban looked at her. And when he smiled, she knew that in this moment, she went too far.

"Well, it sounds nice~ Kinda familiar, I guess?" He laughed. "Remember when I searched for some baby names, you know, when you first told me you were pregnant? It just got stuck in my head back then and I couldn't get it out since~ So calling him anything else would be weird to me."

Elaine blinked at him in confusion. "You're lying. You were frantic and I was terrified."

That's when he started grinning.

"Yeah, I am. But it's working."

"It's-" Elaine paused, her eyes narrowing as she abruptly sat up and glared at him. "It's not."

"You're smiling though~"

" _No_ , I'm just…" She started touching her face, the quiet gasp when she touched her upturned lips making him laugh. " _No!_ I'm- Oh, _damn_ you!"

Funny that although he lied about it having stuck in his head, Elaine got it planted in her head from now on.

And when she finally had her son in her arms, both of them dirty, ugly, and utterly exhausted, she had to admit that _he'd won_.

* * *

 **I am really sorry if there is any grammatical mistakes. I'll try to fix them up later!**


	3. Banshee

**Hello!**

 **I would love to say that I've gotten struck with inspiration lately, and as such, give you not one halloween special, but two :) I'm really happy with how they turned out, and it is a quality of writing I'd strive for from now on.**

 **This shot is quite longer than the other one and ventures into the oneshot category. Also a tad sadder.**

 **A word of warning: It contains elements of gore and death.**

 **Enjoy!**

* * *

She was lament incarnate, wandering the planes of life and death and signaling the passing of mortals. As delicate and ethereal as she was powerful, the Banshee was the prettiest thing you'd see before you died.

But don't be fooled, for the specter was not the culprit of your passing. Her kindred do not hold complete control over life and death. She was only an emissary. A guide.

Fending her off or winning her favor would only sway in time the ultimate outcome: death.

And it was especially heartbreaking for Elaine, a mix of gold and shadow, meant to toll the bell of a hero.

Because she couldn't.

She followed him, the handsome man, day and night, watching his adventures from the doorframes and corners. Kind yet ruthless, he _always_ got his way. She watched him gain unparalleled fame, store up on all the worldly possessions and talents. Many, many admirers joined him. And friends. And lovers.

His grin sly, hair pale and eyes so red, he could've been mistaken for a moonfox. She always wondered how he'd feel to her touch. Would he be hard as rock and steel? Soft like water? Hot like bonfire? Or would he shed his skin like the trickster he was, and a fox would spring free?

She wanted to touch him so badly.

It seemed... It seemed that she had grown to love that man.

When a sword pierced his heart, she pretended not to notice. When he was poisoned, she looked away and kept her mouth shut. When he drowned amidst the seas, she got angry and tugged at him until he ended up on the shoreline.

The Banshee's most notorious weapon was her voice. And she has, technically, gone mute. The urge was inside, and getting stronger each time, to call out his name - but whenever the time actually came and he was laying on the ground, catching his final breaths of air, she'd bite her lips and simply agonize over his fragility. Waiting for him to piece himself together. Waiting for him to get up and keep going. She always allowed it, and he always did.

It was funny how much easier it would be to chastise him when he indulged in one rendezvous after another. This man, he could never settle down.

To be honest, she hopes he never would. That he would always remain free, and never be limited. Even by death.

And for some time, it was as such. She did her best to give him as many opportunities as she could. Cover his slip-ups. Guide him along on his seemingly endless journey.

But death always wins in the end. Life is not life without the all-important promise of it.

And as was his life, the hero's end was spectacular.

The free spirit was meant to be trapped by the army of the current country of his residence. They wanted him to settle down, share his possessions and talents. His friends. His lovers. Forever. Refusal would be punished with death.

The greedy man, he would not stand it. His own greed would not be outdone.

They met in a clash of swords and magic, filling the towns and fields with Banshee's lament. The skirmish was long and neither side backed down until the end. She saw him get stabbed, crushed, drowned, choked, impaled, bludgeoned and shot more times than she could count.

And now, at the scorched battlefield, she manifested amidst the gold and shadows, wanting to scream, and shriek, and sing, and laugh, and cry-

Her small hands tightening around her neck, and she shut her eyes tightly, the thrumming migraine making her lightheaded. Her brethren were already wailing about shamelessly, adding to the crackling thrum at the back of her throat. She wanted to strangle them all.

Instinctively, the face of the moonfox had flashed before her eyes, and she glided soundlessly in his direction. He was close, though the mist and smoke of the battlefield made it hard to spot him. It took her longer than she could stand. The urge to call his name was getting out of control.

When she finally saw him, his armor blending perfectly with the crisscrossing rivers of blood around the scorched rock he laid against, her eyes welled up with tears.

He had, indeed, never been in more of a sorry state than he was now.

His regal beard and hair, tangled and stained red, framed a great hole in the entirety of his breastplate - and the hole in his body that followed suit. His insides have been ripped out, heart, lungs, all of it, dragged out and thrown into the river of blood. A thick stream of half-dried blood ran down from his lips and nose, like it wanted to go back into the chest it came from. His limbs, especially his legs, were mangled in all directions, hanging uselessly from his sides and spreading out before him, one hand clutching loosely at his dented helmet.

And his eyes, oh his _eyes_. They stared dully ahead, still and dilated in their lack of concern with his surroundings. The eyes of a corpse.

Crumpling to her knees at his side, the sobs overpowering her, she tried to keep them silent. She would need to endure this like she never endured before.

The king of the country was dead.

Now, when he'd get up, the hero would be free again.

Her throat burned.

The thick clouds overhead mixed with the mist and smoke and her tears, blurring her vision. She wanted to wipe them away - she couldn't see him at all like that - but she feared the smallest slip would tip her over the edge and send him into the beyond. The screams of the dying rang through the veil, the sound pulling at her, but she easily remained steady. She feared that if she left the knight's side, their fate would be undone and another specter would latch onto his soul without a thought.

Time passed. The battle was coming to its end, though the end sounded nor looked any less horrific than the beginning, middle and culminating point. The warriors of both sides were looking for survivors now, calling in the dark before the dawn. The fires were starting to die down. The clouds, having spectated for so long, were finally urged away by the zephyrs.

Eventually, from the tears between them, a beam of morning light shone onto the ground.

It trickled innocently onto the ground, a tiny ruby beam. Then it grew stronger, and wandered accordingly to the sun and sky - finding a bent shoe to climb onto, before starting to head up. When it was turning rosy, it was at the belt line. When it became gold, it touched upon a narrowed brow.

It's shiny brethren joined it, and the small swarm circled the dead man like a fish school.

He looked right back at it.

Elaine would've cried if she already wasn't.

It took time, but his wounds were mending. Eventually he will be able to move.

He looked at her.

She laid lightly against the dirt mound, a tight smile gracing her lips. Eventually he'd hop onto his feet and go looking for the remains of his crew. He'd sack the country's cellars for his trouble, and vagabond away. Nobody will ever try to touch him after that. And with that out of the picture-

"It's you. Right."

His voice sounded like a puff of air, but it felt like a slap in the face.

Eyes widening, she focused on his face as his eyes skimmed over her crumpled form by his side. His forehead scrunched up gently, his arm twitching, as if reaching out for her.

"Little bird. I can see-" He paused abruptly, before he started hacking, a fresh gush of blood falling onto his less-than-snowy beard. His body tightened and bend slightly, the vivid discomfort evident in the strain on his face. _"Fuck."_

Elaine was at a loss. Perhaps she should've made a comforting gesture, but she just stared at him, petrified. Her head was filled with her own mystified sobs.

 _"Okay."_ The hero rasped, out of breath. "Okay. Once more. It's you... Right? Who saves me."

She didn't answer.

"Fine. Thank you." He choked softly again, "But. You don't... Have to. So much."

 _Impossible._

"You..." He puffed, his eyes becoming a bit more focused. Focused on her small form."Didn't know. You hurt so..."

Her face dragged slightly against the support of the mound, before she dragged herself upright. Her eyes focused on his. She was _terrified_.

He noticed, and his arm twitched once again, like he wanted to touch her. "I know." He rasped, his voice becoming slightly more alarmed. "You care. Thank you. But- I hurt. For others. Not them."

The corners of his lips twitched downwards. "You hurt. For me. To hurt. For them. Right?"

Her head shook - no, no, _no_. She was fine. She was happy to do that for him. Everything she did, it was _worth_ it. Plus, it wasn't- not exactly pain, at least not before- _she was fine_. She smiled at him, her most convincing smile, before scooting closer. It would all be well. He didn't need to concern himself like that.

"Okay." The hero mused, his gaze softening. "Never mind."

The ringing in her ears was fluctuating after that. It would soar, and it would calm, and she wished for it to go away, but it just wouldn't. Her chest was filled the first notes of an aria that chilled her to that wispy bone of hers - an aria so sweet, so cherubic, so well developed, it would enrapture anyone.

It almost enraptured its own singer. Almost.

"You know. I always wanted to meet you. I always suspected something, but I only caught glimpses..."

She squashed the sound. In her mind, the prefect tunes were sawed in half. The tones were reversed. The pounding in her head punched at the tempo.

"...And look at you. You're so tiny and adorable. And you held my hand for so long. I'm practically an old geezer already, heh~"

Her nails dug into the soft of her throat.

The hero lifted his arm, and touched her cheek. Though the bloodied gloves easily passed through the translucency of her flesh, it was enough to catch her attention again. She looked at him, her eyes frantic.

He stared back, almost mournfully, and with an affection that tugged at her heart.

"But, little bird. My lady luck. I'm _weary_."

Her head shook again. Her hands tightened even further.

"No. Please calm down. Look at me, carefully."

He was staring at her, eyes shining, sprawled out against a mound of dirt in the pitiful remains of a beautiful armor. A thousand rays of golden light shined on him and everywhere around him, reflecting off the metal and skin. One of his hands was shakily held up, curled around her cheek as if to keep holding it. His chest was heaving with the strain, but he would not let go.

And he was aged. Regal and experienced, but ultimately old. Behind the shine, behind the reflection of her face, and the depth of his personality, there was a dullness. A tiredness.

"I'm sure you can feel it."

And in a way, she could. Elaine sobbed, the sound coming out muffled and light.

But she didn't want to let him go. She didn't want to let all of this go and lose it, forever.

"Oh, precious." He sighed, as if reading her thoughts, his hand faltering slightly. But then he smiled. "This is no reason to be sad about." He gave their surroundings a look. "This is a battlefield, and a great one at that. There is no shame in dying here, especially after I punched a hole through the king's head with a metal bar~ My memory will be honored as well, in ballads and legends."

He looked back at her, his voice lighthearted and contrasting sharply with his current state, something he probably knew. "And, I'm probably not quite thinking of this as you do. I'm thinking, more like, 'Wow, this is so great~ I'm not sure anything I know will top that. From my predictions, based on my vast experience, I don't think it will.'."

He was grinning now. "And, once I've started considering death, I got all mopey. 'But what about the stuff that I haven't seen yet? There will always be something like that, and by not pursuing it I will miss out. I'm _greedy_. I want it _all_ ~'."

The hero chuckled, his gaze becoming filled with excitement. "And, then I realized. Everyone dies. I may not see this stuff first hand, but in death, I will meet the people who did~ The people who built the ruined temple. The people who forged the magic weapons. The ancient thief king~"

"And, then, there's the thing. The stuff that is out there that mortals know nothing of. Like..." He focused his eyes on hers. "Like _you_. Beautiful things like you. Forces I cannot imagine. I want to know about these things. I want to know your name."

She wanted to coo at him. She wanted to hold his face and kiss the worry from between his brows. Elaine's eyebrows crinkled as he stared at her, this time with a hint of desperation.

"I want to know your name. I want to explore, with the only person who's been there _always_ as my guide. I know you are greedy for me to stay. But I think you know. That no greed can compare with _mine_."

Her hands fell away from her throat, and she looked at him harshly. Just once. Just for a second.

Then, after so many years, and a simple, quick monologue, she gave in.

Her voice was hoarse relief, the misuse making it's call all the more potent. The many, many, _many_ sounds in her chest were crashing, culminating, and translating into simple words that held all the meaning in the world. They echoed in his head and soul, making the light rays in his vision flicker, turning the world more vibrant, before snuffing the colors out.

 _What do you want me to say? Should I talk? Should I sing?_

It's like time itself stood still in that moment. The hero licked his bloodied lips, his eyes widening as he savored the sound she was. It took him a while to finally answer.

"I think I got hit in the head." His voice sounded like flavorless oatmeal in comparison with hers, even with his most sly, seductive, and desperate tone. "I don't quite remember my name. Can you call it for me? Can you call _me_?"

 _Very well._ The Banshee whispered, making him shiver. The chill of death was upon him. The world was becoming wispy and unfocused around the edges, vanishing in spots of light.

 _My name is Elaine._ Her voice was a smile, tending to his greedy nature.

His eyes were becoming hooded now, the light leaving them quickly. He was dying, but judging by the smile on his lips, he didn't particularly mind.

 _Let us go together, like we've always been, right?_

It was all gold and shadows now.

 _...Ban._

* * *

 **Hope I didn't tug at too many heartstrings here ^^;;**

 **Have a spooky halloween!**

 **C-D**


	4. Little Spook

**Hello!**

 **I would love to say that I've gotten struck with inspiration lately, and as such, give you not one halloween special, but two :) I'm really happy with how they turned out, and it is a quality of writing I'd strive for from now on.**

 **This drabble is shorter and absolutely fluffy. It also involves dirty trickery, if anyone's spooked by that.**

 **Enjoy!**

* * *

The bass line was thrumming so violently that you couldn't quite hear the song itself. It upset her sense of balance and made her feel like she wasn't on the dance floor, but a ship deck, though she didn't quite mind.

If this was a ship, then it was a really bright, loud, rich SS Halloween.

She felt like whipping her hair around, but the appropriately sewn bed sheet ghost costume didn't quite let her. Instead, the small woman raised her hands and shook her bed sheeted hands.

 _"Booo~"_ She cooed, making the people around her turn their heads and laugh.

 _"Booo~"_ A husky voice replied into her ear, and she yelped as she was raised into the air by what quickly turned out to be one of the most dazzlingly beautiful woman she ever saw.

She was tall as a pole, and just as slender. She held Elaine up with no effort whatsoever - dear god, it's like she had abs of steel in these cute puffed sleeves.

In the zaps of light that rained on the crowd, Elaine made out a 'messy' hairdo, framing a strong, scarred, angular face and thin nose. The lady's upper lip was dashed with black lipstick, and her sharp cat eyes got an almost Egyptian mascara-marker treatment to bring out their full sensuality.

The woman stared at her with gleaming ruby eyes, noticed her staring back through the cover of the ghost sheet, and gave her a toothy grin.

"Hey, little phantom~" She crooned at her over the numbing explosion of music. "Let's dance!"

And they did, Elaine still held up in the safety of the woman's arms. As she got spun around, her costume fluttered, and she laughed.

"Seems like someone looks _real ghosty_ right now, hmm?~" The woman laughed, and Elaine give her an invisible smile.

"Watch out, or I'm gonna haunt you!" She warned, and her partner crinkled her captivating eyes in mirth.

"Oh nooo~ That would be the most adorable thing ever!"

"Seriously though, your costume is awesome."

The woman looked down at her outfit, the studded golf with puffy sleeves, the short skirt and thighs, and the crimson, skulled corset skirt tightened snugly beneath her bosom. She raised an eyebrow at Elaine, her grin becoming cat-like. "Thanks, I am aware."

"Those shoes. How tall _are_ they?" Elaine asked, her feet wiggling around as she waited excitedly for an answer.

"Just a little bit taller than you."

The wiggly feet kicked at the lady's knee. She just smiled and, as another spooky song rolled over the cheering crowd, resumed her dancing routine.

They twirled and swayed to about a dozen songs nonstop, and by the time the last one died down with a flair, her partner didn't even seem to be winded. She did, however, sport a large smile on her face, and a blush that mirrored her own. Somewhere along the line, Elaine ended up in the crook of one of her absurdly powerful arms, and as they danced and she scared the various people who bumped into them, they also started whispering loudly in each other's ears - little jokes and quips and flirts that made them giggle.

Finally, on the turn of the last song, a small Booze Lady manifested next to them from the dense crowd, patted Elaine's hip, and waved off her spook.

"Hey, ladies." She chuckled, her easy tone so disarming and friendly that the little ghost found her instantly charming. "I'm afraid I'll have to interrupt your fun times though. Me and lady Scar here are going home."

 _"Meeeel~"_ The woman whined, her arms tightening around Elaine's back. "Go away~ I'm not leaving the little spook."

"Too bad, it's not exactly your choice." Mel grinned, her head tilting as she tried to catch a glimpse of Elaine's golden eyes from the spot below, her own brilliant eyes full of curiosity. "The grand party is coming to its end and we're leaving with the gang. You have thirty seconds. If I won't see you coming to join us on our definitely legal activities, gear up for some... _particular form of punishment_."

Elaine's dancing partner released a puff of air, her entire face scrunching up in disgust. " _Oh god. Cap'n. You wouldn't dare."_

"Twenty-two seconds!" The cheerful girl laughed, a hint of pure evil in her eyes. Then she turned around and hopped off towards the exit.

The pair on the dance floor looked after her for another four seconds, stunned into silence.

Then, Elaine was finally, gracefully set on her feet.

"I guess it's over, hmm?" she muttered shyly, giving the lady a smile. "It was a good run while it lasted."

"Mhmm~" The woman sighed. "Though honestly, I wanna do one last thing before I'll start running for my life."

The small woman blinked up at her curiously. "Like?"

The dancer looked at her with a smile, leaning closer conspiratorially to whisper into her ear. "It's kind of a twist ending situation."

"What? Why?"

The dancer's lips pressed softly against hers through the ghost sheet.

"Because I want to tell you that I'm a _man_ , Little Spook." The dancer looked at her, looking sheepish as a bright blush dusted his cheeks.

"The sort that loses bets and has to cross-dresses for a Halloween party."

* * *

 **Have a chilling halloween!**

 **C-D**


End file.
